Tamoxigang thread 50 with summer sun, sangria and maybe even some sand

[foofooyeah]

Welcome to thread 50 .... Yes FIFTY.
Lots of us are rising 50 so rather apt!

Thanks speedy trice and foo I had been adamant I wasn't going to fall apart at the end of treatment. Must be the sudden realization of what I have just been through. Had a long chat to DH who agreed it may help (he always helps me see the rational side of things). I wonder if the Oncologist sensed I need help yesterday or maybe it's just part of the consultation to ask. Anyway I have sent an email to BCN. Feel very tearful since my appointment yesterday....lets hope I can contain it when I see my GP today.

Glad you are managing with the Rads foo and don't hurry back to work if you can manage financially for a little longer.

trice hope your DC have a better day today.

mummy sorry to hear you are feeling this way but absolutely understandable. The future is suddenly different for all of us and that's very hard to face. Don't bottle it up for the sake of the gp, it's important they know how you feel.

I spoke to my bc nurse yesterday about this lump. I don't feel particularly reassured, she said its not that common to have one flare up, bit of a contradiction to what the radiologist said. I don't know who to believe. The one positive is that she will get to see my results before Friday next week and has promised to call me straight away. I feel right back to the way I felt in May when I was first diagnosed and its a scary place.

Mrs, the enlarged lymph node that my onc was worried about was on the sternum. She concluded in the end, after follow up ct scans, that it was just naturally that way. I think that the radiologists are very expert at this stuff; good that you're getting the results soon.

Mummy, I have a counsellor and have done so since a family tragedy two years ago. She is very helpful to let off steam to and I've just made a fresh appointment for today after a gap of some months (I just had too many appointments in my life and needed a break). I realised that I was feeling very angry about things and needed some help in unravelling that. My DH also started seeing someone earlier in the year - he was really in a state of collapse trying to hold it all together - and it has helped him in some really practical ways.

Thanks wren, mine is barely in my armpit, it's round towards my back, hence the oncologist thinking it couldn't be a node. It came up very suddenly and has remained painful and the same size. its only about 3mm and dh, who was watching the screen, said the 2 biopsies just about obliterated it.

I was looking forward to a stretch of calm until February, this has made me reevaluate and realise that I can't assume anything about the future anymore and that's hard to accept.

Just got back from a seven hour visit for first Herceptin and last, yes last docetaxol!

Foo glad you are getting through the rads. The hairdresser which I saw who deals with lots of chemotherapy patients told me that when it started to grow back I need to get it all cut off to help it grow back properly. She said I wouldnt want to though!

Trice hope the children had a good day and hope you can sort the finances. I am speaking to someone from the Macmillan benefits line soon to check stuff out so not sure what is out there yet.

Mummy. When I was first diagnosed my doctor offered counselling if I needed it. We need to sometimes let all this stuff out.

Mrs hopefully you will find out very soon and it turns out to be ok.

I have read everyone's posts but haven't got time to reply individually, got a pile of maths books to mark. Hugs to everyone with worries and money worries and slow growing hair etc etc.
I'm fine just wish I could sleep better!

Great news speedy Did you have sub/cut Herceptin?

Managed to compose myself today at my appointment with GP. When I walked into the consulting room I noticed a box of tissues on the edge of his desk next to the chair. I almost felt he expected I may need them I now have to add physio to my list of appointments along with a blood test for my thyroid. I would still like to think the numbness in my hand is hormone related rather than carpal tunnel syndrome and will disappear or maybe I'm deluding myself.

Hopefully you will get your calm Mrs and it turns out to be ok.

Happy marking malt and hope you sleep well tonight!

Mummy yes it was an injection into my thigh so didn't take long and not that painful thank goodness as am a bit of a wimp!

Malt. Hope you get your marking done.

My hair is coming back curly. Everyone says it looks good, but I disagree. Went to see surgeon today about pain in my scar. He didn't seem concerned but is sorting a bone scan for next week. Dull.
Good to see everyone - I don't post as much now but pop back to see how everyone is quite often!

Hi Ladies.I am back on this thread after several month gap. Quick question are there any ladies on here with brac 1 or brac 2 mutations? If so would they be happy to chat off line with me about a few questions? If so please can they private message me? Many thanks.

Hi all
What a bugger today. Some fool forgot to clean the operating theatre last night and so my surgeon's ops today were delayed and my mastectomy was cancelled. So much for the swanky new hospital...
My surgeon persuaded the Trust to pay for me to have the op at the private hospital on Tuesday and we got sent home with some hope of getting the op done eventually. Have had a couple of glasses of wine to make up for the wasted time and disappointment...
Can't wait to get this blinking boob off!
Xxx

That's a bugger angels and very disappointing when you've got yourself all geared up to have it done. Fingers crossed for Tuesday.

Marking done ! Can't get away with a tick and a smiley face now I've got key stage 2 so takes ages

Wee mine was curly too but it's back to straight again now, yours might well change too

Angels what a pain and for such a preventable reason, hope they don't keep you waiting too long

Hi all. well had my operation last week. They took out a few axilla lymph nodes for testing. It was such a long day, had to be there for 7.30am but had to take my tablets for my lack of thyroid at 5am so they were through my system. Got there and was told i was last on the list. Due to another operation running late I didn't get taken until 4pm ! Pathology closes at 4.30pm and the nodes had to be taken fresh to them so it was all a rush to get me anesthetized so they could get them out and sent to the lab.

Had a dreadful waking up experience. Think it was a combination of the anesthetic and me being so tired but it took a long time for them to get me awake. I remember looking at the clock in recovery and it being after 6pm. I must have fallen back asleep because I woke up and it was after 8pm on the ward with an oxygen mask on. The ward discharges up to 10pm and my obs were fine by 9.30pm and i'd had some toast so they could let me out (They had a bed ready for me overnight if the night staff nurse wasn't happy with my obs)

Over a week later i'm still in a bit off pain. All round the back of my arm/shoulder hurts to touch but you can't see a bruise so must be all inside. My armpit itself is numb. I got internal stitches and surgical glue with sticky dressings over. I've had to take some of them off as they were catching on my clothes and irritating my skin. They said they would start to fall off and if any were left when I get my results they will take them off for me . I think i'll be in the bath the night before taking them off myself.

I get my results on Tuesday afternoon.

Worried- have sent you a message.

Angels- what a pain for you. Hope it all gets sorted Tuesday.

Misskitty- glad your op is over and hope the pain eases soon. Fingers crossed for your results.

Don't seem to have any side effects fromherceptin which is good, just a bit tired but then I seem to be that all the time anyway! Just waiting for the tax effects to kick in over the weekend but hey ho.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Angels - I had my mx at Spire Bristol (assume that's where you're off to) - it's very nice but what a pain for you when you had eveything organised for yesterday.

Oh angels how awful for you to be sent away and now have to psych yourself up again.

msskitty I hope the pain eases soon, it took a few weeks or me.

I have another lymph node up today, in solidarity with the one that was biopsies on Tuesday, it's about an inch away. It's all a bit painful around there again now.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

I just heard from BCN that breast biopsy results are not ready today. I have a clinic appt for Tues afternoon and will get them then. Disappointed but not surprised. Feel a bit of a wreck after waiting all morning for the phone call.

Big week next week with the gynae appt on the Thursday.

Hugs for everyone with uncertainty and worry

marshy, sorry that your results haven't come through today, it's so stressful waiting. It's going to be a long weekend for a few of us, I hope you've got plans to help distract you. We have a university open day with dd2 tomorrow and a walk planned with a friend for Sunday. Don't know how far I'll get, I still tire quickly which is very exasperating. When they told me after rads that I would be fatigued I didn't believe them.

Thanks mrs, the waiting is hard isn't it.

We have a quiet weekend planned. I feel exhausted pretty much all the time for one reason or another and usually just try to keep on keeping on.

Good luck with the open day. We are about to wave DD off to Morocco on a uni placement in a couple of weeks time. She'll be there til Dec. Will miss her as have got used to having her around again over the summer.

Hi to all.

I have read all posts but I'm too shattered to reply! Been back to work (in a school) 3 days this week and although it is lovely to be back, I am totally exhausted. Working in reception and have a lovely class but not sure who was tireder by the end of the week, me or the 4 year olds

Quite weekend ahead.

Did want to say that I asked my oncologist about aspirin and he said good idea to take it but to get the gastric friendly type (got in Boots but more expensive) and keep an eye out for excessive bruising.

Hope weekend passes quickly for everyone waiting for results. Hugs

angel how frustrating to ave Op cancelled ... I think I would have cried.

marshy I pray that no news is good news.

Wine glad you're back at work :) I was shattered when I went back too but you do get used to it again quickly. Rest when you can though and don't overdo it.

Marshy lucky DD going to Morocco, you will miss her lots though I'm sure. Good luck to you and Misskitty for your results on Tuesday.

Hello all, I have been taking a break from the thread for a while as we have been on holiday but I've been lurking to see how everyone is getting on. Lots of love and luck to you MyAngels for your surgery on Tuesday (finally! what a fuck up) and also everyone else getting results this week.

It seems like Tues is a bit of a red letter day for lots of us - I get the results of my surgery that day too so will be thinking of us all and keeping everything crossed.

We have had a wonderful 4 week holiday in Australia, visiting relatives including my brother, seeing some wonderful sights, getting lots of lovely sunny beach days. We saw whales and dolphins a few days before we came home, it was utterly magical. The kids had a brilliant time and DH and I also had a chance to relax and breathe again which we really needed. It was absolutely the best thing for us, I am so so glad we were still able to go.

We flew when I was just 2 weeks post-op and still pretty shaky and dosed up on painkillers. I had to visit hospital 4x in Sydney as I had a seroma which they were reluctant to deal with, but I did eventually manage to get it aspirated after which I started to feel a lot lot better. My new breast now feels totally normal and I have also had time to focus on my physio and get back almost complete mobility in my arm after the lymph node clearance. I am honestly delighted and surprised at how brilliant I am feeling - totally healthy and normal. I know this is false, as chemo is around the corner (no idea yet what variety or for how long) and then rads and then tamoxifen etc etc, but for now I am enjoying the normality. The kids are back at school tomorrow and I start back at work on Wednesday which I am weirdly looking forward to!

Hope everyone has had a good weekend and a positive week ahead xx

elporto yor break sounds magical and you are very lucky t have such a wonderful break dring your treatment.

I have my last 2 Rads Monday and Tuesday then back to wrk on Wed.